Electric educational game with removable wires



Feb. 13, 1951 H. MILMAN 2,541,172

ELECTRIC EDUCATIONAL GAME WITH REMOVABLE WIRES Filed July 12, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 E INVENTOR.-

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Feb. 13, 1951 H, MILMAN 2,541,172

ELECTRIC EDUCATIONAL GAME WITH REMOVABLE WIRES Filed July 12, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 HERMAN M/MA/v,

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j. www@ Patented Feb. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC EDUCATIONAL GAME WITH REMOVABLE WIRES 5 Claims.

This invention relates to those classes of educational games wherein questions and answers to them are displayed, each question and answer having an electric pole or post assigned to it. A source of current is provided with such games having two movable poles adapted to contact respective question and answer poles. Each right answer and its question are Ain a separate circuit in the device, which circuits are broken, but showing the question and answer poles as their terminations so that if the movable poles are set in contact with the respective poles of a question and the right answer thereto, the circuit will be completed, and a device in said circuit will give an appropriate signal. The usual signal device is a lamp or buzzer which will light or sound when the right question and answer poles are connected by the movable poles. Of course. if the wrong answer is touched by the movable answer pole for a question, no circuit will be completed and no signal will be given which at once indicates that the user did not choose the right answer.

My invention aims to improve devices of this character and provide one which is more eflicient in operation and simpler in construction and thereby less expensive to produce than devices of this type heretofore proposed.

Such improvements as my invention contemplates particularly includes means for extending its educational values, and rendering longer and fuller use of an educational game of this type.

Another object of my invention is to provide novel removable and exchangeable parts for a game of this character, as against the rigid permanent connections which are now used in such games wherein the answers and the questions for a game are permanently set and cannot :be changed.

Still a further object of vmy invention is to provide an electric educational game of the type indicated, in which the users, particularly boys and girls, may build their own sets, may exchange them for novel questions and answers in an easy and eiilcient manner.

As I mentioned hereinbefore, the educational electric `gaines now in use have permanent quese tion and answer connections whereby they very be made with new connections, with great facility 4,

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Other objects of this invention will be apparent as the specication of the same proceeds or will be pointed out therein.

i In the drawings forming a part of this `specifi cation and accompanying the same:

Fig. 1 is a semi-diagrammatical plan View of a preferred embodiment of my invention, and

Fig. 2 is a similar side view thereof;

Fig. 3 shows my device in an open position. that is, its cover being folded outwardly and showing some of the inner connections of its wires;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 4*-4 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a similar sectional View on the line 5-5 of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 shows an end view of my novel electric battery and lamp housing for this inven-tion, also indicating the` use of certain pins thereon, whereby pole loops may be easily formed at the ends `of the wire to be used `in my device.

Referring now to the drawings, more in detail by characters of reference, the numeral lli indi- Cates my novel electric educational game, in.

- general, the same being housed in a rectangular elongated box, generally indicated by the numeral il and having a top l2, right hand and left hand sidewalls i3 and it, a front wall I5, a rear wall I6, and a bottom il.

The housing or box for my device may be of any appropriate construction. However', I prefer to maire the same of cardboard material, which can be folded from an appropriately cut blank whereby the same will be inexpensive and whereby it may be easily opened up for exchanging the parts and then again closed. Such cardboard icldabie boxes are well known and there is no need to .show and explain their detailed con-- struction except insofar as they may vaffect my present invention, and it may be noted that the blank will have the bottom portion l'l from which the end walls are bent upwardly, as indicated at i8 (Fig. 5), then turned doubled inwardly, as

shown at I9, and, `finally, turned transversely;

against the bottom il as at 2U.

Semi-circular naps 2l may be partly separatedl blank for the cardboard box and may be connected to the right hand side wall I3 having the fold crease 23 at their connection on which the top may be folded in a, closed position over the box, as shown in Fig. 1 or may be thrown open,

as indicated in Fig. 3, in which case the inner the folded portions I8 and I9 of the end Walls,

as indicated at 25 in Fig. 5.

The top blank I2 will also have appropriate end extensions or elds with three crease lines so that upon turning the same on said creases, two rectangular ridges 2E and 2i may be formed across the front and rear of the top of the device, the extension fields at the ends of the top I2 being indicated by the numerals 28, 29, 3e and 3l and the crease lines therebetween by the numerals 32, 33, 34, 35, respectively.

A plate or sheet 36 is placed on the outer exposed surface of the top I2 and on it is printed a column 3'! of questions, and a column 38 for the answers. 'Ihe questions are indicated at 39 and the various answers at 4t. A slot 4I is provided for each question and a slot 42 for each answer, said slots passing through the removable sheet 36 and through the top I2 in registering relation, each row of slots 4I and 42 being in a straight line, as indicated in Fig. 1. Y Y

The poles for the questions are formed by loops 43` and the poles for the answers by the loops 44 being formed at the ends of respective connecting wires 45 arranged on the rear 'side of the top l2 as indicated in Fig. 3. Appropriate perfor'ations may be provided in the respective -walls of the ridges 2e and 21, as indicated at 46,

and rods 47 and 47a pass through said holes and through the end loops 43 and 44 for the questions and answers respectively. In this manner the wires forming the circuits'for the questions and the answers to them, with their pole loops 43 and 44 projecting above the top of the device, may be easily and conveniently secured Vand their positions changed or the wires themselves exchanged'with new wires when desired, and as will be more Vfully explained hereinafter.

In' the preferred embodiment of my invention, shown in the drawings, a rectangular block, generally indicated by the numeral 48 will be used to house an electric battery 4s and a lamp 5i), for the mentioned purpose in my device. Block 48 in'this embodiment is shown as made of Wood and the battery 4s may be housed in a hole 5I drilledthereinto. A transverse hole 52 may be provided adjacent to the inner end of the bore 5I anda socket 53 for the electric lamp 50 arranged therein, the two bores having intercommunication. The lamp 5l). projects over the top I2 of my device, as indicated at 54. Wire conductors 55 may be arranged around the socket of the lamp, being in close contact with the pole 56 of the battery 49. i V

rThe battery and lamp carrying body 48 is secured at the rear of the back of the top I2 by anyappropriate means, as by the two wire loops 5l and 58 passing therearound and over the top and being temporarily secured at their lower ends 59 -`and 560, sothat they may beopened Kup" and 4 the block or body 43 removed for inspection, rcpair or exchange of the battery.

It will be understood that an appropriate hole will be provided in the top of the device for the lamp 5U. Y

A conductor wire 5I will be secured across the Ybody or block 48 contactng the other pole E2 f the battery and a branchoi each of the battery'contacting wires 55 and tl'respectively,V will pass outwardly underneath the tcp I2, and then around and over the rear ridge 27, as indicated at 55a and cla, the said conductors ending in bare portions 551) and Gib, which portions will serve as the mentioned movable poles for the question and answer poles of my device, as indicated in Fig. l.

The use and operation of my device will be obvious from the herein description. However I want to offer the following further explanations relating thereto:

When it is desired to nd out whether an answer to a question, displayed on theY top of my device, is the right one, the loop 4i (asfanv example) forming the pole of the respective question will be touched by the movable pole` 55h, as lshown for the rst question Fungus in Fig. l. Now, the movable pole @ib Will'loe connected to the pole of theV answer. If the answer is right then its pole will be connected `by a wire 45 underneath the .top ofthe device with that question and in such a case, obviously, a' circuit will be closed and the lamp portion 54 above the top of the device will be illuminated. This case is illustrated in Fig. l. ibviously,v if movable pole @ib contacted vwiththe pole for a Wrong answer, the lamp will remain dark. 'l

It Vwill be seen that one great advantage and improvement of my device over all the lsimilar games heretofore proposed, is that it is built 'of very simple inexpensive parts. Another Vgreat improvement and novel invention incorporated in it is due to the fact that the most important Yparts oi it are easily releasable and removable,

and new such parts or new arrangements of, them may be provided easily, expeditiouslv'and with very little expense.

I may also remark that two pins 'iii and TI, may be arranged secured at the end of block `43 and projecting therefrom. These Vmay belu'sed to form the pole loops at the ends of conductors fsasindic'ated in Fig. 6. Y f 1- The above features enable a boy or girl :to build his or her own set for my game from easily` obtainable, inexpensive parts or materials with4 very little labor. f l

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I am awareof the fact that changes and variations maybe resorted.r to in the parts, combination and construction thereof, and I want to reserve my rightstofall.` changesrand variations which are in the spirit,- of my invention and within the scope of the. clainis hereunto appended. l

What I claim as new and Ydesire Vtoprotect by Letters Patent of the United States, is:- l

l. In a device of the character described, a plate displaying a plurality of questions, and answers to the respective questions. anfelectric pole member in said plate for each question and each answer, a plurality of conductors to thee rear of the plate connecting the poles of respec tive questions and the right answers thereto, .ay

`source of electrical energy, normallyl brokenmovable and flexible pole outlet wires with exposed terminations, adapted to be placed into contacts with the poles of a question and the right answer thereto when said circuit will be closed and said signal will operate, the combination of, said question and answer poles being formed by loops at the ends of their connecting conductors, and slots being provided in the plate at each question and answer, said loops being adapted to be pushed above said plates through said slots to be exposed for said electric contacts, said slots and loops in the plate being arranged in respective straight lines, a pin of electric insulating material adapted to pass through the loops in each line when an arrangement thereof is to be secured, but upon the withdrawal of said pins, said plate and said conductors will be readily removable and new questions and answers may be arranged.

2. In a device of the character described, a plate displaying a plurality of questions and answers to the respective questions, an electric pole member in said plate for each question and each answer, a plurality of conductors to the rear of the plate connecting the poles of respective questions and the right answers thereto, a source of electrical energy, normally broken circuit for said source of energy including therein an electrical signal device and having two movable and flexible pole outlet wires with exposed terminations, adapted to be placed into contacts with the poles of a question and the right answer thereto when said circuit will be closed and said signal will operate, the combination of, said question and answer poles being formed by loops at the ends of their connecting conductors, and slots being provided in the plate at each question and answer, said loops being adapted to be pushed above said plates through said slots to be exposed for said electric contacts, said slots and loops in the plate being arranged in respective straight lines, a pin of electric insulating material adapted to pass through the loops in each line when an arrangement thereof is to be secured, but upon the withdrawal of said pins, said plate and said conductors will be readily removable and new questions and answers may be arranged, ridge elements projecting over said plate, said ridge elements having apertures adapted to slide said pins therethrough whereby to additionally removably secure said loops over the plate.

3. In a device of the character described, a plate displaying a plurality of questions and answers to the respective questions, an electric pole member in said plate for each question and each answer, a plurality of conductors to the rear of the plate connecting the poles of respective questions and the right answers thereto, a source of electrical energy, normally broken circuit for said source of energy including therein an electrical signal device and having two movable and flexible pole outlet wires with exposed terminations, adapted to be placed into contacts with the poles of a question and the right answer thereto when said circuit will be closed and said signal will operate, the combination of, said question and answer poles being formed by loops at the ends of their connecting conductors, and slots being provided in the plate at each question and answer, said loops being adapted to be pushed above said plates through said slots to be exposed for said electric contacts, a box for housing the device having a top member carrying said plate and being registeringly apertured therewith, said top member being pivoted on one side of the box adapted to be swung open to expose said conductors.

4. In a device of the character described, a plate displaying a plurality of questions and answers to the respective questions, an electric pole member in said plate for each question and each answer, a plurality of conductors to the rear of the plate connecting the poles of respective questions and the right answers thereto, a source of electrical energy, normally broken circuit for said source of energy including therein an electrical signal device and having two movable and flexible pole outlet wires with exposed terminations, adapted to be placed into contacts with the poles of a question and the right answer thereto when said circuit will be closed and said signal will operate, the combination of, said question and answer poles being formed by loops at the ends of their connecting conductors, and slots being provided in the plate at each question and answer, said loops being adapted to be pushed above said plates through said slots to be exposed for said electric contacts, said slots and loops in the plate being arranged in respective straight lines, a pin of electric insulating material adapted to pass through the loops in each line when an arrangement thereof is to be secured, but upon the withdrawal of said pins, said plate and said conductors will be readily removable and new questions and answers may be arranged, a box for the device formed of material adapted to be scored and folded, like cardboard, its top carrying said plate and being registeringly apertured, said top member being pivoted on one side of the box through a fold line in said blank, the two trans` verse ends of said top having portions turned upon themselves to form two projecting hollow ridges at the ends of the top, holes being provided in said ridges through which said pins may pass thereby to additionally removably secure the plates and said loops cn said top.

5. In a device of the character described, having a plate displaying a plurality of questions, and answers to the respective questions, an electric pole member in said plate for each question and each answer, a plurality of conductors to the rear of the plate connecting said poles in normally broken circuits, the combination of, said question and answer poles being formed by loops at the ends of respective connecting conductors, and slots being provided in the plate at each question and answer, said loops being adapted to be pushed above said plates through said slots to be exposed for electric contacts.

HERMAN MILMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

